Bag for holding hams.



No. 683,760. Patented Oct. l, I90. W HINKELMAN BAG FOR HOLDING HAMS.

(Application filed'June 15, 1901.,

(No Model.)

lrflltnsaaes Inventmr Zm M. 1;

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cams PETERS 0a., PHOTQ-LITNCL. YIASHINGTON u c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM IIINKELMAN, OF ALBANY, NEIV YORK.

BAG FoR HOLDING HAMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,760, dated October 1, 1901. Application filed J'niie 15.1901. Serial No. s tters. (No model.)

To aZZ- whom, it may concern: X

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM HINKELMAN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city and county of Albany, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bags for Holdi'ng Hams, of which the following is a specification. Y

My invention relates to devices for retaini'ng hams during the process of boiling and the object of my invention is to provide a bag within which a ham may be placed and securely retained in position therein without changing the normal contour of the ham and which may be securely fastened, preventing moisture from penetrating the bag through the openings therein, together with such features as shall be hereinafter more particularly pointed out and claimed. I accomplish this object by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan; Fig. 2, a plan showing a ham placed in the bag with two of the flaps drawn together, and Fig. 3 a plan showing the bag with the ham placed therein ready for the boiling process.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

I preferably construct my bag of duck canvas provided with a central portion A, adjacent to which and on each side and end I provide the flaps B, O, D, and E, respectively. I preferably cut away a portion of the canvas between the flap E and the flaps B and portion of fat, being placed adjacent to the flap 0.

In order that the butt of the ham shall not be crowded when fastened within the bag nd so that it shall maintain its normal contour, I place within the flap O a stiffening substance, preferably a metal plate F, which when the flap 0 is brought in contact with the butt of the ham will rest against the butt of the ham and prevent the fat from being drawn, when the cords holding the flaps in position are tightened, out of its normal position, and thus keeping the butt-end of the ham during the boiling process from being affected by its incaseme'nt in the bag. I likewise place in the flaps B and D stiffening substance, preferably metal plates G and H, respectively, which will prevent the sides'of the ham from being drawn out of their normal position by the tightening of the cords holding the flaps B and D about the ham.

I have shown the plates Gand H tapering from the end nearest the butt of the ham toward the shank of the ham, for the reason that a considerable portion of.the stiffening of the flap is required near the fatty portion of the ham. I do not, however, limit myself to this construction of the contour of the plates G and H.

- The flap E is not necessarily provided with any stiffening material, since the shank of the ham will retain its normal position regardless of the strain brought upon it by the tightening of the cords.

It is understood that the metal plates F, G, and H may be placed in position on the canvas and retained there by sewing a covering c g h over them respectively or secured in any suitable manner.

After the ham has been placed in position on the central portion A of the bag, as shown in Fig. 2, a suitable cord may be drawn about the hook J on the flap E and about the hook K on the flap O, the flaps E and 0 being placed over the ends of the ham, and by tightly drawing the two flaps together by means of the cord L, the plate F holding the butt of the ham squarely in position, the ham is securely retained, so far as the ends are concerned, in its normal position. flaps B and D are then folded over the ham and held in position by the cord M, laced about the hooks N, which are secured along the sides of the central portion A, preferably opposite each other. By securing the cord The after this lacing the ham is securely incased within the bag and the bag and ham assume the position shown in Fig. 3.

It is apparent that the hams may diifer in size and yet be incased in my bag. It is also apparent that the length of the flaps may be so arranged that there is no opening through which the water may penetrate. The ham when taken out of my bag is, its ends and sides including the fat thereon, not affected by being broken down or bent over or overlapped by the pressure of the cords or ends of the casing as frequently in the bags now in use.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Abag for incasing a ham, consisting of a central portion; four flaps adjacent thereto; three of said flaps provided with stiffening WILLIAM HINKELMANP Witnesses:

MAUDE PRIOR, J. FRANCIS HANLON. 

